Back for a sofa

ABSTRACT

A back for a sofa, the back comprising a frame, the frame including a stationary segment and a movable segment connected to the stationary segment. The stationary and movable segments include respective abutments mutually engageable with one another for maintaining respective portions of both the stationary and movable segments in spaced relation with one another and between which portions is defined an accessible concealed storage space in which accessories to the sofa are storable.

ilnited States Patent 1 Trabin [451 May 22, was

[54] BACK FOR A SOFA [76] Inventor: Sidney A. Trabin, 14 North Granville Avenue, Margate City, NJ. 08402 [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 180,637

406,973 7/1889 Tolksdorff ..5/58

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 14,129 6/1929 Australia ..5/58

Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney-Friedman & Goodman [57] ABSTRACT A back for a sofa, the back comprising a frame, the frame including a stationary segment and a movable segment connected to the stationary segment. The stationary and movable segments include respective abutments mutually engageable with one another for maintaining respective portions of both the stationary and movable segments in spaced relation with one another and between which portions is defined an accessible concealed storage space in which accessories to the sofa are storable.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU Z 3,733,624

SHEET 1 OF 3 ""32 SIDNEY ATRABIN INVENTOR ATTORNEY;

PATENTEnnAYzzms 3.733.624

sum 2 OF 3 F l G. 3. SIDNEY A. TRABIN |NVENTOR WMM ATTORNEY BACK FOR A SOFA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a sofa-bed, which may include structure of convertible nature for permitting conversion of the sofa into a bed, and more particularly to a back for the sofa, the back including a stationary segment and a movable segment which is hingedly connected to the stationary segment and movable relative to the latter for permitting access into a concealed space which is interposed between the stationary and movable segments.

The conventional type of sofa-bed having a back of the above nature generally incorporates a hinge for interconnecting the movable and stationary segments to one another. However, because of the location of the hinge, and the arrangement of mutually abutting portions of the stationary and movable segments respectively, a substantial amount of the weight of the movable segment is directly supported by the hinge, even when the movable segment is maintained in an at-rest position relative to the stationary segment and, therefore, the hinge is often weakened or distorted, thus,

subjecting the back of the sofa to necessary repair after a period of time.

As the sofa consumer is aware, children often climb upon the sofa and prop themselves in a sitting position upon the top of the back of the sofa and, therefore, the weight of the child, in combination with the weight of the movable segment, is often a greater-load than the hinge is designed to sustain and, thus, for this reason also, the conventional manner of connecting the movable segment to the stationary segment of the back is undesirable.

Moreover, the longitudinal extent of the back is usually quite large, and often, the conventional use of a plurality of spaced hinges of minor longitudinal extent, along the longitudinal extent of the back of the sofa for interconnecting the movable segment and stationary segment to one another is again often insufficient for properly sustaining the load of the movable segment upon the stationary segment, when the movable segment is elevated periodically.

Another disadvantage associated with the conventional arrangement for interconnecting the movable segment and stationary segment to one another is the fact that people, when leaning against the back of the sofa, tend to frictionally cause a lateral shifting of the movable segment relative to the stationary segment in a direction longitudinally of the sofa-back, and this incidental lateral play often results in a weakening and distortion of the hinge which interconnects the movable and stationary segments to one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel arrangement for interconnecting the movable and stationary segments of the sofa-back to one another such that mutually abutting portions of the movable and stationary segments respectively sustain the weight of the movable segment and generally free the hinge which interconnects the latter segments to one another from a substantial portion of the weight of the movable segment when the latter is in an at-rest position upon the stationary segment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means for preventing a lateral play or shifting of the movable segment relative to the stationary segment in a longitudinal direction of the sofa-back.

To this end, the present invention is related generally to a back for a sofa, said back comprising a frame, said frame including a stationary segment and a movable segment connected to said stationary segment, said stationary and .movable segments each including respective abutments mutually engageable with one another for maintaining respective portions of both said stationary and movable segments in spaced relation with one another and between which portions is defined an accessible concealed storage space in which accessories to said sofa are storable, and connection means for interconnecting said stationary and movable segments to one another such that said movable segment is displaceable relative to said stationary segment from an at-rest position wherein said storage space is concealed to an elevated position wherein said storage space is accessibly exposed, said respective abutments including support means for supporting substantially the entire weight of said movable segment on said stationary seg ment substantially independently of both said connection means and remaining portions of said sofa when said movable segment is in said at-rest position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objects and advantages in view as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a fragmentary perspective view of the back of the sofa pursuant to the present invention, wherein the movable segment is partially elevated relative to the stationary segment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a fragmentary perspective view of the back of the sofa pursuant to the present invention, wherein there is directly visible the storage space for accessories to the sofa, the movable segment being elevated so as to expose the continuous piano hinge which interconnects the movable and stationary segments to one another;

FIG. 3 illustrates a front elevational view of the sofaback pursuant to the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear elevational view of the sofaback pursuant to the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side-elevational view, with end portions removed, along line A in FIG. 4, of the sofaback pursuant to the present invention, wherein the movable segment rests freely upon the stationary segment; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a side elevational view with end portions removed of the sofa-back pursuant to the present invention, wherein the movable segment is elevated relative to the stationary segment, the movable segment also shown in phantom in an at-rest position upon the stationary segment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 thereof, the present invention relates generally to a back for a sofa-bed, the back denoted generally by the reference character 10. The back 10 includes a movable segment 12 and a stationary segment 14 upon which the movable segment 12 is hingedly supported through the intermediary of a continuous hinge 16 which may be characterized as a piano hinge because of the continuous extent thereof. Moreover, the stationary segment 14 includes a ledge 18 which projects from a rear wall 20 of the stationary segment 14 and defines, above the ledge 18, an accessible storage space 22 in which accessories such as the pillows 23 may be disposed and concealed.

The stationary segment 14 includes a pair of opposite side members 24, and interconnecting the side members 24 to one another are a lower transverse member 26 and an upper transverse member 28, the members 26 and 28 being evident in FIGS. and 6. Moreover, the side members 24 each includes a short leg 30 and a longer leg 32 separated from one another through the intermediary of what may be characterized as an elongate slot 34 having an open bottom end. Similarly, the longer leg 32 is provided with a slot 36 having an open bottom end, the function of the slots 34 and 36 permitting, as is conventionally understood, the connection of the back to a bed portion of a sofa-bed.

As is evident from FIGS. 5 and 6, the movable segment 12 includes a pair of opposite side walls 38, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a top member of rail 40, and a front member 42 interconnecting the opposite side wall members 38 to one another. Moreover, both the top member 40 and the front member 42, support upholstery 44, the upholstery overlying springs and padding (the latter springs and padding not shown because of the conventional nature thereof).

Furthermore, the side walls 38 each includes a rear edge 46 for respectively abutting against a front edge 48 of each short leg 30, the latter being part of the stationary segment 14. Thus, the piano hinge 16 which is connected to respective portions of the top member 40 and the upper transverse member 28 at the rear wall of the stationary segment 14 permits the movable segment 12 to be hingedly moved toward and away from the stationary segment 14 so that the storage space 22 is accessible when the movable segment 12 is elevated, and concealed when the rear edge 46 of each of the side walls 38 abuts against the front edge 48 of each short leg 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the top member 40 of the movable segment 12 includes a pair of opposite shoulders 52 which tend to partially embrace the side members 24 respectively of the stationary segment 14 and which shoulders 52, as illustrated in FIG. 4, are somewhat spaced from the rear wall 20 so as to permit or accommodate therebetween upholstery or the like. The shoulders 52 may also be characterized as means for preventing the movable segment 12 from being shifted in a direction generally transversely of the direction it is to be hingedly displaced and, thereby, obviate, at least in part, distortion to the piano hinge 16, which distortion may otherwise ultimately prevent the movable segment 12 from being properly and easily displaced relative to the stationary segment 14.

With regard to preventing distortion of the piano hinge 16, the present invention incorporates primary abutment means for preventing the movable segment 12 from being shifted longitudinally of the piano hinge or in effect, transversely of the normal direction that the movable segment 12 is to be hingedly moved toward or away from the stationary segment 14. In this respect, as illustrated in FIG. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the ledge 18 projects substantially outwardly of the front edge 48 of each of the side walls 38. Thus, as the movable segment 12 is brought into contact with the stationary segment 14 such that the rear edge 46 of each of the side walls 38 abuts against the front edge 48 of each short leg 30, the side walls 38 of the movable segment 12 embrace cooperatively the opposite ends of the ledge 18 and, thereby, prevent lateral play of the movable segment 12 relative to the stationary segment 14. Thus, the op posite ends of the ledge 18 may be characterized as abutment means against which the inner faces of each of the side walls 38 may contact and, thereby, prevent the aforementioned lateral play.

It is important to point out that the very location of the piano hinge 16, in the manner as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, at the rear wall 20 of the stationary segment 14 as it is interposed between the upper member 40 of the movable segment 12 and the upper transverse member 28 of the stationary segment 14 results in what may be characterized as am invisible hinge which does not appear and which is not observable from either the front, top or opposite sides of the back 10, the interfitting relationship of the movable and stationary segments 12 and 14, respectively, giving no hint to an observer or the hinged nature of the back 10. The significance of the invisible hinge is the fact that it does not detract from the appearance of the sofa-bed since the extent of wear along the crease of the upholstery extending along the hinge is effected at the rear, which is not directly observable normally. Moreover, the provision of a piano hinge as opposed to hinges of lesser elongate extent enhances the overall stability of the back 10 since, in fact, the movable segment 12 is rather heavy and any distortion to the hinge will normally decrease the useful life of the back 10 and require repair of the latter.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper transverse member 28 of the stationary segment 14 interconnects the opposite side members 24 and is positioned slightly below the uppermost horizontally extending edge surface of each of the opposite side members 24 by an amount substantially identical to the thickness of the piano hinge 16 when the two portions of the latter extend in generally superposed relation in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 5. Moreover, the longitudinal extent of the piano hinge 16 is somewhat less than the longitudinal extent of the upper transverse member 28 and, therefore, this permits the upper member 40 of the movable segment 12 at the opposite end portions of the upper member 40, which extend directly above the opposite side members 24 of the stationary segment 14, to directly contact and overlie the side members 24 respectively in mutually abutting relation.

The mutual abutting relationship of the opposite end portions of the upper member 40 with that of the side members 24, respectively, is an important aspect of the present invention since this abutting relationship, together with the mutual abutting relationship of the edges 46 and 48 of the movable segment 12 and the stationary segment 14 respectively, results in an arrangement wherein the members of the back 10 act to mutually support one another generally independently of the piano hinge 16 when the movable segment 12 is in an at-rest position, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Therefore, the piano hinge 16 is not continuously subjected to the weight of the movable segment 12 when the latter is in an at-rest position and will not be subjected to distortion because of the absence of load thereagainst.

It is significant to note that the ledge 18 may be constituted of fiber board and extend integrally with and from the rear wall of the stationary segment 14. In this respect, the fiber board may be provided with appropriate scored folding lines so that during the assembling of the back 10, pursuant to the present invention, the ledge 18 may be folded relative to the remainder of the fiber board, in this instance the rear wall 20, so as to extend generally horizontally or transversely relative to the rear wall 20. Moreover, the ledge 18 may be provided with an upturned flange as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, and may be connected to an appropriate transverse member 60, the latter which is fixedly connected to the short legs 30 of the stationary segment 14 and which extends outwardly of the edges 48 of the short leg 30 so as also to be embraceable by the opposite side wall members 38 of the movable segment 12 for reenforcing the ledge 18 and preventing the movable segment 12 from being subjected to the aforementioned lateral play.

The weight of the movable segment 12, as it rests upon the stationary segment 14, in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 5, is ordinarily sufficient for maintaining the movable segment 12 in its at-rest position. However, it may be preferable to provide means for preventing the movable segment 12 from being inadvertently elevated relative to the stationary segment 14, and this can be done such as by appropriate permanent magnets 62 and 64 which are positioned upon the movable segment 12 and stationary segment 14 respectively in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 5. Obviously, the magnets tend to attract one another and prevent elevated displacement of the movable segment 12 relative to the stationary segment 14 in a releasable manner without any necessity whatsoever for interconnecting the movable and stationary segments 12 and 14 respectively such as by means of straps or the like.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A back for a sofa, said back comprising a frame, said frame including a stationary segment and a movable segment, said stationary segment including a rear wall disposed between a pair of opposite side members, a support member disposed at an upper portion of said rear wall and connecting said opposite side members together, each of said opposite side members including a vertical edge inclined relative to and spaced from said rear wall, a ledge member extending between said side members and spaced from said support member to define a storage space, said ledge member projecting outwardly from said rear wall beyond said vertical edges of said side members, said movable segment including a front wall disposed between a pair of opposite side walls a top member disposed at an upper portion of said front wall and connecting said opposite side walls together, each of said opposite side walls including a vertical surface inclined more than relative to a bottom surface of said top member extending outwardly from said opposite side walls, and hinge means extending along an upper surface of said support member and said bottom surface of said top member for interconnecting said movable segment to said stationary segment with said movable segment being displaceable relative to said stationary segment from an at-rest position where said storage space is concealed to an elevated position where said storage space is accessibly exposed, each of said vertical surfaces abutting against an associated one of said vertical edges in said at-rest position with said support member supporting said movable segment and said ledge member being disposed between said side walls of said movable segment to prevent shifting of said movable segment relative to said stationary segment, whereby said opposite side;

walls are pivoted away from said opposite side members when said movable segment is lifted to said elevated position. 

1. A back for a sofa, said back comprising a frame, said frame including a stationary segment and a movable segment, said stationary segment including a rear wall disposed between a pair of opposite side members, a support member disposed at an upper portion of said rear wall and connecting said opposite side members together, each of said opposite side members including a vertical edge inclined relative to and spaced from said rear wall, a ledge member extending between said side members and spaced from said support member to define a storage space, said ledge member projecting outwardly from said rear wall beyond said vertical edges of said side members, said movable segment including a front wall disposed between a pair of opposite side walls , a top member disposed at an upper portion of said front wall and connecting said opposite side walls together, each of said opposite side walls including a vertical surface inclined more than 90* relative to a bottom surface of said top member extending outwardly from said opposite side walls, and hinge means extending along an upper surface of said support member and said bottom surface of said top member for interconnecting said movable segment to said stationary segment with said movable segment being displaceable relative to said stationary segment from an at-rest position where said storage space is concealed to an elevated position where said storage space is accessibly exposed, each of said vertical surfaces abutting against an associated one of said vertical edges in said at-rest position with said support member supporting said movable segment and said ledge member being disposed between said side walls of said movable segment to prevent shifting of said movable segment relative to said stationary segment, whereby said opposite side walls are pivoted away from said opposite side members when said movable segment is lifted to said elevated position. 